Clubs have tried to approach the hooliganism of torcida organizadas with creative solutions.

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil -- At first glance the dawn of a new season seemed to have brought little in the way of progress in Brazil's ongoing battle with football violence.

On the first weekend of the Porto Alegre state championship, a 16 year-old-fan was shot and killed (most likely, it is being suggested, by police) during rioting between torcidas organizadas (organised fan clubs to their defenders, hooligan gangs to everyone else) after a game between two minor clubs, then Palmeiras supporters...

A Brazilian player was taken to a hospital for an anti-rabies shot after being bitten by a police dog during a match.

The incident happened in the second half of a first-division game between Democrata and Tupi in the Minas Gerais state regional championship.

Democrata striker Joao Paulo was bitten on his left arm after running out of bounds and falling too close to a police officer's dog behind one of the goals. The dog was on a leash but the officer was not able to pull it back in time to avoid...